Students Occupy Monster Homes In Merced, California

Real estate is cheap in Merced, California; it has the third highest foreclosure rate in the nation. I was amazed to find that this Tudor pile complete with pool and spa is $ 194,000; that is crazy. No wonder that all these monster houses are filling up with students; there is a new University with expensive dorms in short supply, and an endless supply of McMansions available. Patricia Leigh Brown describes it in the New York Times:

One can imagine what is like on a cul de sac full of these garages with attached houses.

Sitting in her kitchen, a planet of granite, Katilyn McIntire, a human biology major, explained how she and her four roommates rotated cars — one parks on the street, two park in the garage and two in the driveway. Whoever is getting up for an 8 a.m. class parks last.